However, the ship sank in a storm in March 1980 after losing its anchor. Radio Caroline is broadcast in the Republic of Ireland on channel 927 on the UPC Ireland cable service in the main cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Cappoquin, and the County Waterford towns of Lismore and Tallow. In May 2017, Ofcom awarded the station an AM band community licence to broadcast to Suffolk and north Essex;[3] full-time broadcasting, via a previously redundant BBC World Service transmitter mast at Orford Ness, commenced on 22 December 2017.[4]. They were keen to see what this heating was like, with a view to installing it in their own home. The bureauxs client must also be a RAJAR subscriber. Global delivers record results extending its position as the UK's #1 commercial radio company Global leads the UK commercial radio market with highest . Harry Howard, History Correspondent For Mailonline, Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Caroline Flashback provides an alternative service for loyal and new listeners, who want to hear tracks from this exciting era. [71][72][73], In January 2002, a Dutch Caroline fan called Sietse Brouwer launched a Netherlands-based Dutch Radio Caroline in Harlingen, broadcasting on the northern Netherlands cable networks and largely independent of UK Caroline. [clarification needed]. On 9 August 1985, an official vessel anchored 150 yards from the Ross Revenge. Former offshore broadcasters who continue on the station are: Roger Mathews, Nigel Harris, Martin Fisher, Marc Jacobs, Johnny Lewis, Doug Wood, Dave Foster, Cliff Osbourne, Chris Pearson, Bob Lawrence, Jeremy Chartham and Ad Roberts. They included Blackburn, who became the first to broadcast on Radio 1. Radio Caroline Ltd. and Caroline Support Group (originally called the Ross Revenge Support Group). From the Radio Today site. The Dutch Radio Caroline then changed its name to Radio Waddenzee (nl) for daytime Dutch and German language, and Radio Seagull for nighttime English language broadcasts, and now broadcasts on 1602kHz every day and on the internet, presenting a progressive rock format. On 18 August, a British government chartered ship pulled up alongside the Ross Revenge and asked to board to "discuss the future" of the Ross Revenge and the stations operating from it. [53] This ended on 1 July 2011 after a failure to renegotiate costs with Sky and deciding not to pursue a Freesat EPG slot. On 4 May 2015, Radio Caroline started a 24-hour "Flashback" webstream[58] carrying "oldies" music and jingles. Radio Caroline continued, moving its headquarters and servicing operation to Spain. During Easter 2008, the station broadcast live for three days from the Ross Revenge, featuring presenters who had worked on the Mi Amigo in the late 1970s: Roger Mathews, Mike Stevens, Bob Lawrence, Brian Martin, Martin Fisher, Cliff Osbourne, Jeremy Chartham, Marc Jacobs, Ad Roberts, Dick Verheul and Kees Borrell. "It was just so special and so different and worth fighting . From its two vantage points, Radio Caroline's presenters who included future BBC stalwart Tony Blackburn and Tory MP Roger Gale regaled Britons with pop songs which they could only hear on conventional stations for a few hours a week. 68% of Brits listen to the radio at home. [citation needed]. [74], In Palmerston, Radio Caroline International, based in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, acquired an AM commercial broadcasting licence in 2008, and was seeking wavelengths in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. On 1 September, a small motor launch had difficulties in rough seas. 18:03 GMT 28 Sep 2021. We . BBC Radio 1 lost nearly half a million listeners in the first quarter of 2022, new figures show. Caroline really got more and more attention after August 31, 1974, when the other offshore stations off the Dutch coast had to stop their transmissions, while Radio Caroline survived to please its listeners. Over the following months, Caroline's signal quality improved as transmitting valves were donated and programming returned to normal. On the heels of Breaking the Waves, she (along with Jeanine Tesori) was the first woman to be commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera. How we recruit respondents, sampling points and fieldwork in depth. [17] The Manx parliament, the Tynwald, attempted to exclude the North ship from the legislation, appealing to the European Court on the legality of the act being applied to the Isle of Man. The supermarket chain Asda and English Heritage were among the backers. The whole of the school Easter holiday, my friend Mozz and I took the tranny with us everywhere. Using land-based studios leased in Kent[51] in the late 1990s, the station began broadcasting via satellites Astra 19.2E and Eutelsat 28A, covering western Europe. [31] During this period each night transmission of Radio Caroline started with Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft by the progressive Rock Band Klaatu, issued in 1976 on their album 3:47 E.S.T. However, Dutch Caroline failed to secure a high power AM frequency and the cable network service was discontinued because of lack of funds. News stories appeared in Europe[22] announcing the start of Caroline Television[23] from two Super Constellation aircraft using Stratovision technology. [6] Caroline was broken up for scrap in 1972. The only broadcast staff on board were Tom Lodge and Jerry Leighton. About - The Organisation. , updated Second, it also requires a good sales team and, of course, sales people don't work for nothing. The Radio Caroline name was used to broadcast from international waters, using five different ships with three different owners, from 1964 to 1990, and via satellite from 1998 to 2013. Dutch nationals were arrested and returned to the Netherlands, together with most of the broadcasting equipment. Radio Caroline continued on satellite but required manual tuning. The operation then continued, despite disagreements between O'Rahilly and some of its DJs over what the station should be playing. Bubblegum Lemonade released "Caroline's Radio" in 2010 which was a nostalgic look back at listening to Radio Caroline. Southern England, western Europe, Northern England, Ireland and Scotland. The continuing story of Radio Caroline, the 1960's pirate radio station that survived the Marine Offences Act, which saw the end of pirate radio station around the shores of the UK. Dave Foster (Rpt) Some DJs from the USA and Commonwealth countries, such as Graham Webb, Emperor Rosko and Keith Hampshire were also heard. Mary wrote us: "I wondered if your series should be including the titles of any of the records played on the Test Transmission tapes? The survey also found that 18.1 per cent of radio listeners tuned in. Former presenter Johnnie Walker said in an interview on NPR last year that O'Rahilly thought it was a 'wonderful image' of 'happiness and laughter disrupting the works of government'. The latest NOP Audience Survey Figures show that Radio Caroline has an audience in Great Britain in excess of any other radio station with 19% aged 16 and over, whilst Radio London did have 12%. Radio Caroline South's 259 metres signal was now near those of Radio London on 266m (1133kHz) and the BBC's Light Programme on 247m (1214kHz). To accommodate the second aerial, a second short mast, just in front of the bridge, was employed as the other end of the aerial fixed to the main mast. Important information on how the survey works and who and what we measure. The pair's aim was to circumvent big record companies' control of the broadcast of popular music, as well as the stranglehold which the BBC then had on the airwaves. Much improvement to the lay-out of the ship was planned but basically the studios would have remained. [7] O'Rahilly named the station after Caroline Kennedy, daughter of U.S. president John F. The Dutch offshore station Radio Veronica was on 1562 kHz and Radio Atlanta broadcast on 1493 kHz. This was replaced by a twin-mast T-antenna. -1.04 -1.26%. Belgium had outlawed offshore radio in 1962 and prosecuted advertisers, cutting the station's revenue. Radio Caroline first began broadcasting in March 1964 from a 702-ton former Danish passenger ferry, the Fredericia, in international waters off the coast of Felixstowe. At that time I thought RNI 2 was here to stay. [45] The Ross Revenge was salvaged and brought into harbour in Dover, ending 27 years of Radio Caroline's unlicensed offshore career. Zoe Ball lost a million listeners from the same period last year, when . Radio Caroline 4+ Patrick Mounteney 4.6 10 Ratings Free iPhone Screenshots Listen live to the world famous Radio Caroline on your iOS device. No, I did buy records which were also nice and were brought to my ears by listening to Radio Caroline quite other music than the other stations were offering. Tony Blackburn turns 80 years old on the 29th of January and BBC Radio 2 will celebrate the occasion in a special programme, reports OnTheRadio.. That this House expresses its disappointment that, having pioneered commercial radio in the UK and for the past decade being a fully licensed broadcaster, Radio Caroline, a cornerstone of British radio history, has been denied by OFCOM the opportunity to secure a medium wave frequency from which to broadcast; regrets that as a result its devoted listeners are confined to listening to Radio Caroline via the internet and unable to enjoy its musical offerings in transit; and calls on OFCOM to exhaust all avenues in making the provisions available for Radio Caroline to celebrate its 50th birthday in 2014 by broadcasting on a medium wave frequency which, it appears, is unwanted by both BBC and commercial operators as a broadcast platform. In December 1976, Radio Mi Amigo moved to 1562kHz on the 50kW transmitter, leaving Caroline on 1187kHz 24 hours a day on the 10kW. DJs could choose ordering of oldies all current pop hits in strict rotation. It is jointly owned by the BBC and the Radiocentre on behalf of the commercial sector. The Mi Amigo "Top 50" tapes were flown over by helicopter to get them on board more quickly. To my surprise Bob, in passing, mentioned the plans to get an ILR-station on the MV Ross Revenge, after the ship had stranded on the Goodwin Sands. In the evenings on 963, some alternative music programmes were tried, including the reggae "Jamming 963", and in 1986 and early 1987, a progressive and indie rock programme called Caroline Overdrive hosted by Tom Anderson, Fergie McNeal, Andy Johnson, Stevie Lane, Mark Matthews, Kevin Turner, Peter Phillips, Mick Williams (a.k.a. Ken Bruce has also confirmed that he's moving. From Electronic People Meters to Smartphone Mobile Metering. Brouwer intended to obtain an AM frequency from the Netherlands authorities in 2003 when its medium wave frequencies were reallocated. People have to move away from the idea that Caroline can only broadcast from a boat I thought that back in the early days we were fighting for free radio to be legalised "free" as in freedom of speech and on land! [26] The station's offices and studios were in Brakel, Belgium, but moved to Castell-Platja d'Aro, Costa Brava, Spain in March 1975 after a raid by Belgian police. Non-Dutch staff were given the option of staying on the ship or returning to the Netherlands, and most chose to stay on board. Only the Caroline app has a live programme schedule, 'Now Playing' and multiple streams to suit most internet speeds. This was not because they wanted to buy a house, but because the ones on the new estate had been constructed with an innovative type of central heating, which blew hot air through ducts under the floor. In Happy Birthday Tony Blackburn: 80 Poptastic Years on Radio 2, Dermot O'Leary will talk to Tony about his life and career and surprises him with . Nation Radio Scotlanddelivers a record reach of 79,000 and listening hours of 636,000 Greatest Hits Radio South Coastperformed strongly, where total listening hours soared to over 1.7. The Government argued that the pirate operation was a danger because of the possibility of the radio frequency interfering with emergency shipping channels. Harry Howard, History Correspondent For Mailonline
European medium wave channels had been reallocated to multiples of nine. I don't think Grandma saw her radio again till I managed to get a small tranny of my own to replace it. The following day, Caroline was one of few stations in the South East still broadcasting. After a short test on 773kHz in late 1975, in May 1976, Radio Caroline began a daytime service on 1562kHz (192 m) using a 10kW transmitter, while its overnight service continued to share the 50kW transmitter with Radio Mi Amigo's daytime programming on 1187kHz (253 metres, announced as 259). Round Midnight was confined to closedown on Radio Caroline North after The World Tomorrow. Two (Radio 270 and Radio London) of the remaining four UK-based offshore stations closed, but the two Caroline ships continued with their supply operation moved to Netherlands waters, where unlicensed ship-based broadcasting was not outlawed until 1974. Officially, Radio Caroline was managed from offices in North America, with advertising from the US and Canada. Watch Live TV Listen to Live Radio. Comedian and award-winning radio host D.L. In Timaru, an NZBC station, originally 3XC, later 3ZC, broadcast as Radio Caroline until 1995. A licenced and registered bureaux that wishes to supply bureaux services using RAJAR data is permitted to do so. [citation needed] The new station introduced British audiences to slick American-style top 40 radio with electronic jingles produced by Dallas-based PAMS, and was an immediate success. On 31 July 2014 the ship was moved to the Blackwater Estuary in Essex.[47]. From there Bert Alting wrote: "in the mid-1970's I was living partly on a little room on the loft of a house and in the early evenings I tried never to miss the close-down of Radio Mi Amigo Caroline's sister station in those days and the daily opening of Radio Caroline. Caroline coming in to pick up her pilot. [16], On 20 June 1966, Smedley boarded the Shivering Sands Fort with 10 workmen to repossess a transmitter that he had supplied, but had not been paid for. In 2017, Ofcom awarded Radio Caroline its first AM licence, allowing it to broadcast to audiences in parts of Suffolk and north Essex. The two stations experimented with different frequencies. The Mi Amigo was tendered clandestinely from Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The appetite for dance music is thriving with both Heart Dance and Capital Dance celebrating record listening figures. ", Finally, here is Mark Reynolds writing in from Buckinghamshire and thanking all the people who tried to keep the memory of Radio Caroline alive over the years: "I did learn about offshore radio in late 1966 and followed the stations from that point on. A bulletin report which provides information of the survey period, any new stations that have joined or any changes to the stations or groups. I must say the people on the station got my sympathy very quickly. Caroline claimed boarding the ship and removal or destruction of equipment was piracy. Hughley is partnering with Janssen to empower Black communities with information and encourage better self-advocacy for their health. The station hasn't the glamour anymore it had in its High Seas Days, but I'm still enjoying all the memories. The name was taken from Caroline Bay, a popular recreation area nearby. I always tried to get the best quality out of my car radio, while listening to the station and I always felt fed up when Caroline was off the air again, forcing me to tune in to the sound of Hilversum 3 the then so-called public pop station in the Netherlands. The Caroline App is just 1.79 or equivalent price in your country. Caroline Hepker anchors Bloomberg Radio's 'Daybreak Europe' programme, on-air live from 6-10am weekday mornings. The four-week event was funded through on-air local business commercials. Total listening hours for Talkradio were up 23% compared to the last quarter to reach 5.7m hours each week, while Times Radio's listening hours were up 16% to 3.6m hours weekly. From the anchorage in the Knock Deep the Mi Amigo's mast could be seen on the horizon. (Gordon): Well, we're sorry to tell you that due to the severe weather conditions and the fact that we are shipping quite a lot of water, we are closing down, and the crew are at this stage leaving the ship. (iii)558 kHz: strict pop and oldies mainstream format (no presenter music choice) with strict adherence to format clocks. media reports and the shock of hearing just how powerful the signal was. City: London. Throughout most of the 1970s, Radio Caroline could be heard only at night, calling itself "Europe's first and only album station". Reception area: North of England, Midlands, Ireland, Scotland and North Wales. However, the station has since moved online and continues to broadcast 24 hours a day. Syndicated shows from the US and recorded religious programmes were also broadcast. Nice to think about Dixie Peach, too. On 20 January 1966, the MV Mi Amigo lost its anchor in a storm, drifted and ran aground on the beach at Frinton-on-Sea. [25] The ship anchored off the Dutch coastal resort of Scheveningen and was serviced and operated from the Netherlands. [35], The Ross Revenge was larger than Mi Amigo and with more elaborate transmitting equipment: in 1983, two 5kW RCA transmitters and a RCA 50kW unit. I was extremely excited about the new station and borrowed a big transistor radio from my grandmother, so that I could take the music everywhere I went. Radio Caroline was begun by Irish musician manager and businessman Ronan O'Rahilly, after he failed to obtain airplay on Radio Luxembourg for Georgie Fame's records because the station was committed to sponsored programmes promoting major record labels: EMI, Decca, Pye and Philips. The Radio Caroline "album" station has been streamed on the internet for many years, accessible via the station's website, with more streams on various devices. Part of being a good communicator means knowing how to listen. My parents' house in Holyhead, North Wales, looked out over Newry Beach and we often saw various ships stopping off just behind the breakwater to pick up the pilot for their onward journey Blue Funnel line vessels in particular. ", The next Caroline memory arrived from Groningen in the North East of the Netherlands. At one time both stations were even claiming more than 8.8 million listeners each. This was all in the 1970's. Now as in the past, for every commercial radio station it proves very important to have an audience, as advertisers are always looking at the station's RAJAR-figures. The final song was Pilot of the Airwaves by Charlie Dore.[43]. The benefits, entitlements as a RAJAR subscriber and the data explained. In the South East England new standard regions 4 and 5, Radio Caroline has 27% whilst Radio London has 24%." "I think it lit a spark," he said. I live in Wigan, just west of Manchester. Within months, the unlicensed operation had merged with another station broadcasting from a separate boat near the Isle of Man. Shrewdly, the BBC also employed many of the one-time pirate DJs who had helped to make Radio Caroline a success. [64] On 24 November 2021 a new transmitter was installed with an effective radiated power of 4kW. These stories continued and included co-operation by a former member of the Beatles[who?] Lord Annan, author of the 1977 Report of the Committee on the Future of Broadcasting, spoke in defence of Radio Caroline in the House of Lords at report stage on the Broadcasting Act 1990, saying "Why break a butterfly upon the wheel? On 27 April, the Mi Amigo was fully operational. "People who listened to NPR shows on the radio at home . How different it seemed six weeks later when the Mi Amigo had no mast and RNI no English service. The medium wave frequency was 235 metres (1278kHz) and programmes were sent through ISDN landline to Maidstone and via the internet and broadcast on satellite. Radio Caroline finally stopped broadcasting from open waters in 1991 when the MV Ross Revenge lots its anchor in a storm and the crew had to be rescued by helicopter. We're not leaving and disappearing, we're going onto the lifeboat hoping that the pumps can take it; if they can, we'll be back, if not, well, we really don't like to say it. [54] Surveys in 2008 and 2010 showed a small percentage listened via Sky, and that satellite listening had dropped by 9% since 2008, while online listening had increased by around 40%. "Other Radio" currently has a weekly listenership of 3.8m adults a week. On this page we have collected a few exemplary ones. Radio Caroline tried several frequencies, among them 963, 576, 585 (briefly), 558 (after Laser 558 closed) and later 819kHz. BBC Radio 6 Music celebrates its 20th birthday with record listening figures. The station was opened by DJ Tom Anderson, who had said "goodbye" from the sinking Mi Amigo in 1980. This service was Radio Seagull and broadcast live during the evening. [60], From 31 March to 27 April 2014, a Caroline North tribute station, based on the Planet Lightship berthed in the Albert Dock complex on Liverpool's waterfront, broadcast locally on 87.7FM and on the internet. Radio Caroline Continuous Caroline Music Shows Adrian Skirrow London, United Kingdom Alan Watts Alan Watts has been one of the trusty side-kicks to radio god Bob Harris for the past ten years including stints at GLR in 1994, moving on with Bob to Thames Valley FM and of course since 1997 at BBC Radio 2. Caroline's album format meant that, although the station served a gap in the market, its audience was smaller than in the 1960s. Welcome to the Radio Caroline Web Shop, run by volunteers to help the running of the radio station and the preservation and restoration of its radio ship, the Ross Revenge, in the estuary of the River Blackwater in the county of Essex, UK. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Whittingham was unable to leave on the tender when a storm arose. While 6 Music saw a 3.1 per cent dip in its quarter-on-quarter listening figures - pulling in 2.6million listeners - the station is still the UK's number one digital radio station. MV Caroline sailed from Felixstowe to the Isle of Man, broadcasting as she went. Since the pandemic took hold in the United States, NPR's radio ratings have taken a nosedive. The RAJAR Audio MIDAS Survey is designed to provide context and insight into how, when and where audio content is being consumed within this liberated environment; including device usage, activities, location, who listened with. In 2020, the show's two long-serving presenters, Jenni Murray and Jane Garvey, both departed the programme. RAJAR figures for Q3 2022, 27 June - 18 September 2022. I am taking a career break from my profession as a Sollicitor and in 2001 was fortunate to be allowed to run the news service from the Mi Amigo RSL from the LV18 where I met Bart Serlier among many others. A well-nourished captain said they often failed to appear for a tender but he always got paid! Smedley's men occupied the fort until 22 June. Radio Caroline broadcast appeals for help, giving the ship's position as .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}5141N 135E / 51.683N 1.583E / 51.683; 1.583. However, the storm had weakened the mast, which collapsed in another storm later. Radio Caroline broadcasts music from the 1960s to contemporary, with an emphasis on album-oriented rock (AOR) and "new" music from "carefully selected albums". In June 1990, Spectrum Radio, a new multi-ethnic community radio station in London, was officially allocated 558kHz. Broadcasting Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 12 midnight to 2a.m. They were towed to Amsterdam by a salvage company to secure unpaid bills for servicing by the Dutch tender company Wijsmuller Transport. Radio Caroline was off the air for most of the 1990s, except for occasional low-power broadcasts of one month. Since 1991, the Ross Revenge has been maintained by enthusiasts called the Radio Caroline Support Group, originally the Ross Revenge Support Group. From December 1984 the Ross Revenge broadcast Radio Monique, recorded and live Dutch-language programmes of a Dutch music radio production company using the 50kW transmitter during daytime.